And so the Tigers opened the season by winning four of five games at Comerica Park.

They did it against the Royals and Orioles, clubs categorized as possible contenders.

You can, accurately, make the claim, “So far, so good.”

The Tigers’ starting pitching has been, as anticipated, excellent. Justin Verlander turned in his second strong start Sunday, despite a 3-1 loss to Baltimore. The Tigers have displayed surprising power. Torii Hunter clubbed his third home run already, and the Tigers have seven overall this year.

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But concerns? Yes.

The Tigers’ bullpen nearly blew a big lead before escaping with a victory over the Orioles Saturday.

Sunday, Detroit’s bats were quiet against Chris Tillman, the Orioles’ starting pitcher, who exposed their lack of left-handed hitting.

Tillman is tall (6-foot-5) and throws on a steep tilt because of an overhand delivery. He has good velocity and a sharp curveball. He won 16 games, kept his ERA below four and made the American League All Star squad in 2013, despite pitching his home games in the hitter’s paradise that is Orioles Park at Camden Yards (his ERA was just 3.34 on the road).

He is a genuine ace.

But the way the Tigers’ batting order was setup Sunday, it was going to be especially difficult to break through against Tillman. Switch-hitting Victor Martinez, who had two hits, was it for lefty hitters that would qualify as threatening. Shortstop Andrew Romine and left fielder Tyler Collins are not. They could easily be at the Triple-A level of the minor leagues, or in the case of Collins, Double-A. Don Kelly, a left-handed hitter, played left field Saturday and had a couple hits, but it didn’t go well for him defensively. And if a club is counting on Kelly, the definition of a 4-A (between Triple-A and MLB) player, to be a key left-handed presence in its lineup, it could mean trouble.

There is definitely a lack of balance.

The Tigers do have some very good right-handed hitters, and one great one in Miguel Cabrera, who aren’t exactly intimidated by quality right-handed pitching. Still, they need some left-handed bats. Those same right-handed hitters are better against left-handed pitching. It’s just a fact of the game.

Not to belabor a point – because I have made it often – but the value of free agent Stephen Drew wouldn’t just be as a shortstop, but because he killed right-handed pitching last season (.876 OPS).

If not Drew, the Tigers’ need to find an answer – somewhere. Left-handed hitting outfielder Daniel Fields is off to a pretty good start for Triple-A Toledo. Perhaps he will be an answer sooner instead of later.

Of the Tigers’ major injuries during spring training – to shortstop Jose Iglesias, hard-throwing reliever Bruce Rondon and left fielder Andy Dirks – the one to Dirks received the least notoriety.

Yet, Dirks is a left-handed hitter and the Tigers needed a bounce back season from him. He was an excellent hitter in 2012.

Look, there is no question the Tigers needed to move Prince Fielder, and while they have not missed his power so far, they need more left-handed hitting. Period.

Tillman has a good assortment of pitches, but the one that was particularly devastating Sunday was his curveball.

“He had a really good curveball,” Hunter said. “It was the best we’ve seen in a long time.”

Common sense suggests it would have been less lethal with more and better left-handed hitters in the Tigers’ lineup.

Verlander is 0-1 despite two solid outings and a 2.57 ERA. He allowed key extra base hits to Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis – two proven hitters – and it essentially cost him Sunday’s game.

“I was pleased with the way I threw the ball,” Verlander said. “If I keep doing what I’m doing, the run support will come.”

The Tigers have big-time starting pitching. It will help their bullpen immensely.

But they must not be so naďve to believe they can be stacked with right-handed hitters, and thin with left-handed hitters, and maintain the more consistent level of offensive production they desired when they dealt Fielder.

Sunday was a frustrating loss for the Tigers from that standpoint, but can’t be departmentalized as “unexpected” under the circumstances.